The pirate ship has run aground!

[Sander]

Shoddy treatment? He was fired and got to enjoy $15 million more after being fired. Nothing shoddy about that.

[LongSufferingBucsFan]

I think it's shoddy to be fired that way. Dude deserved better than that, IMO. Again, I think the Buc's owners were assuming that he'd take another head coaching job right away and they'd be off the hook for his contract. Management decision fail! Now they've screwed themselves out of millions of dollars that could've helped the team. I don't blame Gruden for that at all. It was his right not to pursue another head coaching position. It's not his problem that the Buc's owners handled his dismissal poorly.

I appear to be in the minority of those who actually like Gruden, but that's okay. I know he wasn't perfect, but I still admire his work ethic and what he did for the Bucs. For those who are too young to have been fans of the team from the beginning, it's probably difficult to understand the change in attitude that Gruden brought to the team and to the fans. We were finally getting rid of some of those tired old cliches such as "the Bucs can't win in cold weather." Check that off the list! Did that in Philadelphia. "Can't run a kick-off return back for a TD." Check that off the list too! Did that! "Can't win a Super Bowl." Oh yes they can, and did!

Some of those examples might not seem like much to some people, but to some of us diehard fans, those were huge milestones to get past. Yeah, there were bad times, but when I think of Gruden I think of all the good things he brought to TB. I respect your right to hate him, but I'll still defend him.

[brauneyz]

Hey BucsFan I'm a fan of Gruden too. I'm a Pats fan living on the Left Coast, but I remember how good he was with the Raiders and I've always appreciated him for that. I do think he has some issues with developing young players, which is why, perhaps, he had such success with Rich Gannon, who'd been around the block already. Maybe his strength is working with talented vets, and turning teams around?

I'd rather see Gruden coaching again than in the booth with these other Stooges. Maybe ....

[Sander]

I think it's shoddy to be fired that way.

What way? They fired him. That's all there was to it. There's no good way to fire someone, but it was time for him to leave. He got a nice $15M paycheck and whatever else he took away from his ESPN job. He has nothing to complain about.

I'm not blaming Gurden, he did a lot of good things for the Bucs. I just don't get how the Bucs treated him poorly.

[LongSufferingBucsFan]

You're right. There's no easy way to be fired, but I believe that Gruden was blindsided by the move and that is even more humiliating. That's what bothers me the most. A lot of these coaches who are on the hot seat at least have some idea that they're in trouble. Gruden had just been signed to a 3 year contract extension after winning the NFC South in 2007. I think that everybody (and Gruden himself) assumed his job was not in danger. Obviously I don't know what he did or didn't know prior to the dismissal, but it seemed apparent by his reaction to it that he didn't expect it.

Here's what one of the Glazers said after firing Gruden: ""In our mind, there's a plan of where we want to go," he said. "We've thought it through very carefully. It will become apparent as we move along."

How is that working out for ya Mr. Glazer? Another year down the crapper. Thanks.

[wxwax]

ps how is Fat Albert playing? I haven't seen much of the Bucs the last two games.

[Sander]

ps how is Fat Albert playing? I haven't seen much of the Bucs the last two games.

Nothing special. Not bad, either.

[wxwax]

Nothing special. Not bad, either.

Thanks. I think his contract calls for $6 million next season, and I can't see the Glazers paying that. I guess he'll be moving on, if anyone wants him.

[Sander]

Thanks. I think his contract calls for $6 million next season, and I can't see the Glazers paying that. I guess he'll be moving on, if anyone wants him.

I can't see the Bucs bringing him back unless he restructures his contract, but if money isn't a problem and all they need to care about is cap space then there's no real reason to cut him, either. But the Bucs have their two starting DTs (Gerald McCoy and Brian Price). Haynesworth is the best DT after those two, but he's not significantly better than a couple of other backups.

[LongSufferingBucsFan]

Dear Bucs Organization:

Would you please refund the money I spent on NFL Sunday Ticket so that I didn't miss a Buc's game? That's some money I wish I had back right now.

Seriously though, the team looks horrible. We heard one announcer say that even in practice the guys look really undisciplined. One of the analysts said awhile ago how the Bucs had gone back to practicing the fundamentals for the game with the Cowboys. We're this late into the season and you're having to go back over the fundamentals? This is ridiculous.